Hickory Dowels

[ghostdncr]

I was putting together an order at TOTW this morning and saw they're offering a 100pc bundle of mixed diameter 48" long hickory dowels for $9.99 + shipping. These are clearly described as NOT being ramrod quality, but I'm betting there will be a couple of decent ones in there. I make a lot of ramrods and these will be great for practice pieces, splices, pistol ramrods, dowel pins, and who knows what else? Anyway, here's the link if anyone's interested:

Hickory Dowels, 100 mixed 5/16", 9mm, 3/8" and / or 7/16" diameter, American hickory, 48" long, unfinished, sanded, made in the U.S.A., ideal for furniture, not ramrods. - Track of the Wolf

 

[LawrenceA]

Wiping rods maybe?

 

[ghostdncr]

Wiping rods maybe?

Another good use! I figured there wasn't much way to go wrong at that price, especially considering how quickly I seem to burn through dowels.

 

[Henry Miles]

By the description on the website, they have flaws in the grain making them weak and unsuitable for ramrods...

 

[ghostdncr]

Just to eliminate any and all confusion...

Neither I nor TOTW are promoting these dowels as ramrods!

This is an outstanding price on 48" hickory dowels if you have a use for them and I just wanted to point out the opportunity.

 

[Eric Krewson]

A friend who was in the arrow business tried to turn hickory ramrods on his $50K arrow shaft machine, he had too many runouts and abandoned the process. He gave me 48 culls, I found that a 75% of them had a runout free ramrod in them just not full length, TC length, short barrel length, arrow length and such.

 

[4575wcf]

I keep a long hickory plank on hand from the local hardwood supplier, splitting out lengths, and get my ramrods out of those. It is a heck of a lot of work, but like a machine turned axe handle, the grain usually does not run true to the rod otherwise. Since I broke my thirty year old shotgun ramrod this season, looks like I will be getting out another one of those to stay in practice. The shotgun rods are a bit involved, with a brass cap to accept the wad screw fitted on something less than 3/8 inch diameter length for the thimbles, swelled up to 1/2 inch or so at the business end to take the 12 gauge jag. They take a beating in the field when the shooting is fast and good.

 

[Nazgul58]

Bought a box several months ago. I have wiping/cleaning rods for all my rifles and pistols now. Turned some handles and put tips on them. Don't have to change jags, have enough for each type. Still have enough rods to last a lifetime.

Don

 

[Sam squanch]

You have to split them. Sometimes they don’t split right, so you start over. Going to cut a hickory this winter that is almost falling over, I’ll try to use it.

 

[4575wcf]

I envy you fellows in the East a little of your woodlots. We have native locust and mulberry here that might make a ramrod, but no hickory that I know of. I have a great hardwood supplier in a town close by where I can get about any kind of wood, but of course it's all processed and kiln dried.

 

[ghostdncr]

I generally order from TOTW about every two weeks and have never seen these offered before. A couple of weeks ago our local Lowe's stopped carrying the oak dowels I've always used for various woodworking projects, so this deal couldn't have popped up at a much better time. Splitting hickory for proper ramrods is indeed a lot of work, but it yields a far superior rod compared to a machine-made version.

 

[Robby]

I envy you fellows in the East a little of your woodlots. We have native locust and mulberry here that might make a ramrod, but no hickory that I know of. I have a great hardwood supplier in a town close by where I can get about any kind of wood, but of course it's all processed and kiln dried.

Just about any wood that will make a good bow will make a pretty good ram rod as long as the grain runs full length. Locust and Mulberry would do the trick, just not as easy to work as hickory.
Robby

 

[FlinterNick]

I only order my dowels from dowells on demand, if you tell the owner what your use or project is he will send you his best cuts without grain runout.

 

[jefair1]

If you do a lot of woodworking, that's enough dowel pins to last a decade or two.

 

[mattwfreyer]

Ok, total newbie question here. Haven’t notice a decription of the process for “splitting out” a hardwood ramrod. Anyone willing to do something akin to a tutorial, or at least a more thorough explanation? I am more than willing to do the hard work to make an excellent ramrod. Tired of machine made rods and runout problems.
Thanks!
-Matt

 

[rp77469]

Track has sold these in the past, at least once. I made my last three camp boxes from dowels from bad ramrod stock. Not enough run out in a 2" dowel to worry about.